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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26395033">the sunrise</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAllana/pseuds/LadyAllana'>LadyAllana</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Super Junior</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Compliant, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, how do I tag my obssesion for protective Heechul?</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 10:20:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,355</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26395033</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyAllana/pseuds/LadyAllana</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The letter, and the aftermath from Kyuhyun's perspective.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Cho Kyuhyun/Kim Ryeowook</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>14</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>the sunrise</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Based on Heechul’s outburst on bubble about Ryeowook’s “princess” issue, and funny enough Heechul’s interview with Jessi where he said Kyu is his favorite in the group because they drink together… huh.</p><p>I haven’t written Kyuwook in ...four years? That’s basically a life time ago.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ryeowook receives a letter.</p><p>That in itself is of course nothing new. They all get fan mail, they probably get them more compared to the new kids, whose fans are so used to what technology has to offer while most of the hyungs still struggle with it.</p><p>Ryeowook receives a letter, from a fan because of course, he does. Everyone knows that Ryeowook reads and keeps all the letters, the members and the managers have an unspoken rule to always sort his out separately so they can be sent to him without getting mixed with any other stuff. </p><p>So, Ryeowook gets a letter because they have made sure he is always able to get them. </p><p>*</p><p>If it were up to the company, Kyuhyun probably would have never seen the contents. Ryeowook is not one to share his pain or embarrassment, and he especially wouldn’t want to share this. A trust broken so easily over a couple of drops of ink on a paper that was intended to cut him. But the staff with him that day witness him breakdown, frozen and in tears and a photo of it is sent to Yeongseon hyung. </p><p>Kyuhyun doesn’t even see it until the next day when hyung asks him to send a message while he is doing the dishes. </p><p>And really, they do get this kind of stuff, more before but still occasionally. He has learned to tune it out by now, its kind of a trick of the trade, something you learn and adapt to early on so that words can’t hurt you anymore. But, he knows, there are those who never truly take that advice to the heart. There are those who never learn to let go of their childish joys and childish sorrows. A more beautiful life, or a more painful one.  </p><p>He doesn’t know what to do.</p><p>Something grips his insides tight as he looks over the contents, his face frozen on a mimic of indifference. That, is a learned gesture. The trembling hands are a reminder of a lifetime past.</p><p>He sends the picture to Heechul hyung.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>Yeongcheol hyung jumps from his seat as Heechul curses loudly at his phone. The Kims who is busy trying to work with his new hair takes the phone from his hands and zooms in, silently saying what the fuck as Heechul attempts to rise up and grab his phone back from her. </p><p>His manager looks up, alarmed as the phone is passed over to him. Then, with an uneasy expression, Heechul realizes that he refuses to meet his eyes. They both know why this has been kept from him.</p><p>*</p><p> </p><p>If they are going to drink by themselves, they usually go to hyungs house. They never really drink anything expensive anyway, old habits die hard, and Heechul is not really fond of wine, to begin with. Going to his house gives them the freedom to talk about things that they don’t necessarily want a manager to know about, Yongseon hyung is too be trusted but he is still responsible if anything were to happen and there is no need to put him in a dangerous position. Lately, there is Hyukjae hyung there too, though he would never barge in unintentionally or even feel left out, Kyuhyun things that somethings can only be spoken in the silence within four walls that do not belong to anyone else.</p><p>There are times he wishes those walls did not belong to Heechul either, but that’s selfish, unnecessary, and a consequence of his own choices.</p><p>He is grateful to Heechul. </p><p>Hyung takes him out to a quiet street bar, empty except them and the owner who seems to be watching a daily drama on her phone. There is no doubt that she knows who they are, but if there is anything Heechul knows, its how to buy loyalty and discretion. Kyuhyun is sure he is not the only one he brings here.  </p><p>To be honest, he has calmed down considerably on his way here. He isn’t sure if that's because he has already spent tears in frustration or because its an undeniable habit to pass responsibility to the nearest hyung that has been ingrained to him as the youngest in a group half his life, all his life if he thinks back to his childhood and how noona always took care of his problems. </p><p>Perhaps its why he got out of the house before he could run into Hyukjae hyung, or Jongwoon hyung even, who would have different opinions. Not that they would be any less angry, if anything he thinks their blood runs a lot hotter than his does, protective streaks a mile ahead of what Kyuhyun’s usually is. And usually, well that’s the problem, isn’t it?</p><p>It might unacknowledged, between them, how unusual Kyuhyun’s response is though he is pretty sure they all know. Heechul though, he is the only who truly knows. </p><p>Hyung is calm and collected as he opens the soju bottle and pours him a drink, but then he takes a long sip straight out of the bottle. </p><p>Over the last couple of years, this has become a lot more personal to him than he would have liked, whereas he never really cared about it before. Told them to fuck it all too. Kyuhyun took that advice to heart, but it took a lot for both of them to realize that not everybody was able to.</p><p>Ryeowook is a lot more soft-hearted compared to them. </p><p>Braver perhaps, in that he doesn’t feel the need to put up different masks, but soft-hearted non the less. </p><p>There are times Kyuhyun thinks that he is stronger than all of them combined, but there are times it feels like he would break in his hands if he grasped just a little too tight. </p><p>The last fifteen years feels like a non-ending battle of trying to grasp on fingers that keep escaping from his hands, as they go across the piano keys, or grip the microphone or wipe away his sweaty bangs from eyes that follow his every step of the way. </p><p>But one step more, and he will lose him forever. </p><p>Heechul hyungs searches his face for a while, much like Kyuhyun used to do during practices and in the dorm kitchen before when it had been Ryeowook who took care of it, and nods silently. </p><p>They call for another bottle.</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>“Maknae-yah” Heechul calls out with one hand, the other giving a couple of bills to the discrete ajumma he has known over five years. He looks at Kyuhyun, with his bloodshot eyes and messy hair and messier clothes, the smell of soju no doubt ingrained on his skin. </p><p>He has grown a lot more than Heechul would have liked.</p><p>They all have that sometimes it feels like a shitty dream or a weak nightmare. </p><p>Ryeowook did too, he thinks, but then he looks at Kyuhyun’s puffy cheeks and the pout of his lips and it feels like he is at the breakfast table again, dozing of on Hangeng’s shoulder as he watches the managers trying to get the two of them ready for school. Kyuhyun with his puffy cheeks and his puffy sleep-deprived eyes and puffy lips, Ryeowook smiling and laughing at him even so early in the morning.</p><p>They have grown up. </p><p>Kyuhyun stumbles on his feet a bit, curses under his breath as one heavy hand goes to wipe at his eyes. </p><p>Heechul laughs under his breath, frustrated, angry, tired, oh so very fond.</p><p>“Come up for a shower first.”</p><p> </p><p>*</p><p>The small park in a small corner of Incheon is quiet at the break of dawn, empty except a grandfather doing his morning exercises to the rising sun. </p><p>On the bench next to him, Ryeowook sits quietly, wrapped in a sweater too big, perhaps stolen from one of the hyungs. Silent tears fall down his cheeks, he makes no move to wipe them. </p><p>Ryeowook leans against his shoulder, Kyuhyun settles better, opening his knees to accommodate the shifting center of gravity. Matches his breathing, listens their hearts beat for a beat. </p><p>The sun rises for a new day.</p>
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